Courtyard House: The Thief System of All Realms

"Are you sure?" Sun Jingyuan raised an eyebrow slightly, his tone casual and lazy, with a hint of a half-smile, not taking the commotion in front of him seriously at all, his expression remaining calm and composed.

"We're sure! We heard you clearly, you clearly agreed to take care of this!" Jia Dongxu shouted at the top of his lungs, frantically trying to signal Yi Zhonghai to support him, his clenched palms sweating.

"That's right, that's right, we all heard it clearly, you can't deny it!" Yi Zhonghai immediately chimed in, adopting the dignified posture of an old man, and took the lead in echoing him. The neighbors who were already enjoying the show also joined in the commotion, and the entire courtyard instantly became noisy, filled with chaotic voices echoing each other.

"Fine, I admit defeat." Sun Jingyuan shrugged helplessly, then his tone suddenly changed, a sly glint in his eyes, and his voice became more serious. "But I can't just let this go to waste. If you want me to handle this, I have to make a condition. We can talk again once you agree to it."

"Just say it! As long as you can get things done, I'll agree to any conditions!" Jia Dongxu stomped his feet anxiously, afraid that Sun Jingyuan would change his mind at any moment. Bang Geng's household registration was urgent, and he dared not delay it for even a moment.

"It's very simple." Sun Jingyuan spoke slowly, his tone flippant yet carrying an air of absolute authority. "Have your mother go to Uncle Yi's house every evening around dinner time and put on a show of calling back the soul. Do this for seven consecutive days, and I'll take full responsibility for it. I guarantee I'll get it done. How about that?"

"Sun Jingyuan! Why do you keep targeting me?" Yi Zhonghai's face flushed red instantly, he was so angry that he blew his beard and glared at him, shouting angrily, feeling so frustrated he was about to explode. Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui were both in the courtyard, but this kid just kept targeting him, making him lose face in front of the neighbors every time, it was really deliberate targeting.

"What you say makes sense." Sun Jingyuan tilted his head as if thinking, then changed his tune, "How about we try another way, let Aunt Jia do whatever she wants each day, pick one of the three gentlemen at random, and take turns doing it, it's all up to her."

"Old Yi! Look at this mess!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui's faces instantly darkened, both harboring a burning anger. Liu Haizhong always prided himself on having the mindset of a cadre, single-mindedly seeking to climb the ranks, and valuing his reputation and dignity above all else; Yan Bugui considered himself a scholar, meticulous and calculating, and extremely concerned with his image. If someone were to be cornered at his doorstep and have their soul called out, he would be utterly humiliated and unable to hold his head high in the courtyard ever again.

"I agree! I agree to everything!" Jia Zhangshi shouted in a shrill voice, afraid that Sun Jingyuan would change his mind if she hesitated for even a second. In order to keep her precious grandson Banggeng, she didn't care about face or dignity at all. As long as she could keep her grandson, she would agree to any conditions.

"Words alone don't count. We need to make a solemn oath. Whoever goes back on their word halfway through will bring disaster upon their entire family." Sun Jingyuan's expression suddenly turned serious. There was no trace of joking on his face. His tone was serious and did not allow for any perfunctory or evasive behavior. He clearly intended to stick to the agreement.

"ha!"

Qin Huairu, who was standing to the side, could no longer hold back and burst out laughing. Her eyes were full of relief, and she no longer felt the suffocation and timidity she used to have at the Jia family. She felt much more relaxed.

The laughter instantly enraged the Jia family mother and son. They glared fiercely at Qin Huairu, their eyes filled with a chilling malice and resentment. However, Qin Huairu had long since severed ties with the Jia family and no longer needed to defer to them. She rolled her eyes dismissively, showing no mercy. This infuriated Jia Dongxu and Jia Zhangshi, who clenched their fists so tightly their knuckles turned white, their chests heaving violently. They almost couldn't resist rushing forward to attack.

"Aunt Jia, don't just stand there. Repeat after me once. Whoever goes back on their word will have their whole family punished." Sun Jingyuan urged slowly, his tone calm and composed, not in a hurry at all, just waiting for Jia Zhangshi to obediently do as he said.

"Whoever goes back on their word will bring disaster upon their entire family!" Madam Jia gritted her teeth and roared, each word distinct, her eyes blazing with intense hatred as she stared intently at Sun Jingyuan. If she weren't currently in need of his help, she would have loved to pounce on this brat who was targeting the Jia family at every turn and tear him to pieces; he was simply too much.

"Alright, the oath has been made, so I'll naturally keep my word." Sun Jingyuan clicked his tongue and slowly began to finalize the details. "I'll help arrange Qin Huairu's formal job; leave that to me. But she needs a place to stay. I can't possibly provide her with accommodation as well, can I? She's worked tirelessly for your Jia family for years, bearing children and managing the household, without complaint. Your Jia family should at least provide some money so she can rent a place in the city and settle down. That's not an unreasonable request, is it?"

"This..." Jia Dongxu's face immediately showed difficulty. He hesitated for a long time, rummaging in his pocket for a while before finally taking out five yuan and handing it over with a pained expression, his eyes darting away and not daring to look at anyone.

"Five yuan? Jia Dongxu, are you kidding me?" Sun Jingyuan raised an eyebrow, his face full of surprise, as if he had heard an extremely absurd joke. His tone was full of disdain. "With this little money, trying to rent a decent place to live in Beijing is simply a pipe dream. It's not even enough to rent a small outbuilding. And you have the nerve to offer it?"

"Dongxu, don't be so stingy, give me fifty yuan." Yi Zhonghai frowned and spoke up, finally able to stand up for himself. He couldn't bear to see Jia Dongxu being so stingy and embarrassed in front of the neighbors. "Five yuan can't even rent a place to stay in the city. Stop dawdling."

Seeing the pointing and whispering looks from the neighbors, Jia Dongxu glanced at the expressionless Qin Huairu, gritted his teeth, and pulled out five ten-yuan bills, shoving them into Qin Huairu's hand. His face was so gloomy it could drip water.

"From now on, we're even! We'll never see each other again, and I never want to see you again!" Jia Dongxu said viciously, his heart filled with resentment and unwillingness.

Clutching the money in her hand, Qin Huairu felt a surge of pent-up grievances over the years, tears streaming down her face as her shoulders trembled slightly. Her mother, Zhao Xue, rushed forward and embraced her tightly, her own eyes reddening as she gently comforted her, sobbing with heartache, feeling that her daughter had suffered too much over the years.

"Qin Huairu, let me show you an easier way, do you want to hear it?" Sun Jingyuan smiled, his voice not loud, but clear enough to carry throughout the room so that everyone present could hear him clearly.

The neighbors, who had been planning to gradually disperse, suddenly stopped and gathered around to watch. Watching the spectacle with Sun Jingyuan was even more interesting than listening to a play; no one wanted to miss the next good show, so they all listened intently.

"You...you say it." Qin Huairu replied softly, her cheeks flushed, her voice slightly hesitant, her eyes filled with anticipation.

"Finding a suitable place in Beijing is difficult enough as it is, and it won't be easy for you to find one in a short time. Why don't you rent He Yushui's room for now?" Sun Jingyuan said frankly and naturally. "She lives at the school most of the year and only comes back to the college on weekends. You can pay her rent on a monthly basis, which will save you trouble and provide a stable living situation. You won't have to run around looking for a place to live."

No sooner had Sun Jingyuan finished speaking than Sha Zhu squeezed out of the crowd and hurriedly shouted, "Yes! Sister Qin, you live in the room in the rain. I have the key, I'll give it to you right now!"

"This... I'm afraid it's not very convenient." Qin Huairu frowned slightly, feeling somewhat hesitant. She had been married into the courtyard house for many years and had long been aware of Sha Zhu's feelings for her. However, she had always disliked Sha Zhu's reckless and impulsive manner, and she had no good feelings for him whatsoever. In fact, she was full of resistance and did not want to have too much to do with him.

"What's there to hesitate about? Sha Zhu has always been all talk and no action; he can't stir up any trouble." Sun Jingyuan casually tossed out these words, and taking advantage of the moment when the neighbors burst into laughter, he turned and quickly slipped out of the crowd, swift and decisive, giving no one a chance to react.

"Hahaha!"

The courtroom erupted in laughter. Sha Zhu blushed bright red, his face turning from neck to earlobes. He yelled at the top of his lungs, "Sun Jingyuan! You little brat, don't run away! I'll teach you a lesson today!" As he shouted, he hurriedly shoved the key to He Yushui's house into Qin Huairu's hand and turned to chase after Sun Jingyuan in the direction he had left. His exasperated appearance only made everyone laugh even harder.

Jia Dongxu stood frozen in place, his eyes fixed on Sha Zhu's retreating figure with a sinister gaze, his face extremely grim. Even though he had already divorced Qin Huairu, seeing this scene still made him feel suffocated and resentful. Although he usually called Sha Zhu his brother, deep down he looked down on him, thinking he was just a good-for-nothing bachelor. Even if it was something he didn't want, it wasn't Sha Zhu's place to take it. On the contrary, he felt that even if it was thrown away, it should have ended up in Sun Jingyuan's hands, so that Sun Jingyuan could pick up his "leftovers" and he could at least vent his anger.

Jia Dongxu pondered to himself, feeling increasingly uneasy, but his thoughts were in disarray, and he couldn't figure out what went wrong. He could only suppress his anger and awkwardly help Jia Zhangshi back to the house, too ashamed to stay in the central courtyard to watch the commotion.

As dusk settled, night slowly enveloped the courtyard, and lights began to twinkle, adding a touch of warmth and life to the scene. Six people had come from Qin Family Village: Qin Huairu's parents, Qin Zhenbang and Zhao Xue, her two older brothers, Qin Zhijun and Qin Zhixue, and her two sisters-in-law. It was already late, and the mountain roads in the countryside were rugged and difficult to traverse at night. They needed to find a place to stay in the city, but being unfamiliar with the area and with money but nowhere to go, they were in a state of panic.

Meanwhile, Sun Jingyuan was sitting in his courtyard, leisurely skewering fresh beef with bamboo sticks. A simple barbecue grill sat beside him, with piles of charcoal and various meats and vegetables neatly arranged – all fresh ingredients taken from his thief's space. Although he wasn't good at cooking everyday meals, his barbecue skills were excellent. Combined with the complete range of seasonings stored in his space, he was ready to treat himself to a hearty barbecue tonight.

"Xiao Lin..."

A soft voice called out, and Sun Jingyuan looked up to see Qin Huairu standing awkwardly at the gate of his courtyard with a group of relatives. They all looked restrained, with obvious pleading in their eyes, and were caught in a dilemma.

"Oh, Sister Qin, what brings you here with your family?" Sun Jingyuan put down the bamboo skewer in his hand and asked in a calm tone, without the slightest hint of distance.

"Xiao Lin, it's really too late today, and the roads back to the countryside are difficult to travel at night. We really have no choice but to ask you to make an exception and let my parents, brother, and sister-in-law stay at your place for the night?" Qin Huairu lowered her posture to the extreme, her tone full of humble pleading, afraid of being rejected by Sun Jingyuan. "Don't worry, we will definitely not touch anything in the house or make a mess. We... we will sleep on the floor. We will not trouble you at all."

Qin Zhenbang, Qin Zhijun, and the others behind her stood ramrod straight, their expressions growing increasingly reserved, heads bowed, not daring to utter a single word. They knew in their hearts that Sun Jingyuan was a doctor who had graduated from a prestigious university, earned a high monthly salary, and came from a wealthy family. She was simply an ordinary person they could not possibly associate with, and they felt a deep sense of awe, not daring to offend her in the slightest.

Sun Jingyuan tilted his head, glanced at the large family in front of him, paused for a few seconds as if deep in thought, and did not respond immediately.

Those few seconds of silence sent Qin Huairu's heart leaping into her throat. Her palms were drenched in cold sweat, and she gripped her clothes tightly, her fingertips turning white. She had considered staying at a guesthouse, but these days, a letter of introduction from one's work unit was required. Coming from the countryside, they simply couldn't produce one. Having exhausted all other avenues of inquiry, they had no choice but to swallow their pride and ask Sun Jingyuan for help—it was their only option.

"Okay, no problem." Sun Jingyuan nodded slightly and agreed readily, without any hesitation or unnecessary difficulties.

"Thank you so much, Xiaolin, thank you so much!" Qin Huairu was overjoyed and her eyes welled up with tears again. She thanked him repeatedly, her voice full of gratitude. If her family hadn't been there, she would have expressed her gratitude on the spot.

"By the way, you've been busy all day, arguing and traveling, you probably haven't eaten yet, right?" Sun Jingyuan asked casually, his gaze sweeping over the slightly tired expressions on everyone's faces.

"Not...not yet." Qin Huairu lowered her head somewhat embarrassedly, her eyes unconsciously glancing at the ingredients in the yard. The fresh fruits on the table were rare treats they rarely saw. Her two sisters-in-law secretly swallowed their saliva, but dared not show it at all.

"I've prepared a barbecue. If you don't mind, please sit down and have some with us. It'll be more lively with more people," Sun Jingyuan invited with a smile, his tone casual and natural, without a trace of arrogance or disdain typical of a rich kid.

Qin Huairu glanced back at her two brothers, who were eyeing her with longing, blushed, nodded gently, and accepted their kindness, her heart filled with gratitude.

Being honest and hardworking rural people, Qin Huairu's two sisters-in-law immediately stepped forward to help as soon as she agreed, quickly and efficiently preparing the ingredients and lighting the charcoal. They didn't dare slack off at all. The brothers Qin Zhijun and Qin Zhixue took the initiative to pick up brooms from the corner and swept the yard inside and out until it was spotless, leaving not a single speck of debris. Qin Zhenbang and his wife weren't idle either; they found clean cloths and carefully wiped the tables and chairs in the house, afraid of getting even a little dirty, their every action revealing their restraint and gratitude.

As soon as the group stepped inside, they were instantly stunned by the furnishings, gasping in astonishment. The floor was covered with smooth, gleaming wooden planks, spotless and immaculate. Bright incandescent lights illuminated the room as if it were daytime. A complete set of high-quality solid wood furniture was arranged neatly, exuding elegance and sophistication. The spacious bed, in particular, was an eye-opener; they had never seen such a grand and impressive room in their lives.

"Little sister, this Dr. Sun is so capable! This house is so grand!" Qin Zhijun said in a low voice, his face full of shock, his tone full of envy and disbelief.

"Yes, this set of furniture must have cost a lot of money. I can't even imagine it." Qin Zhixue muttered to himself, his eyes filled with disbelief. His two sisters-in-law and Zhao Xue were also stunned and speechless. Having lived most of their lives, they had never seen such a wealthy family and such a refined residence.

Qin Huairu pursed her lips and said softly, "The labor cost of hiring workers for the renovation alone was over four hundred, not to mention the furniture and materials. The whole set cost over a thousand."

"hiss--"

Upon hearing this, Qin Zhenbang couldn't help but gasp, feeling utterly astonished. Sun Jingyuan was only in his early twenties, yet he possessed such abilities to amass such a vast fortune; it was truly beyond the reach of most, and Qin Zhenbang's awe for Sun Jingyuan only grew stronger.

"Huai Ru! Come out and lend a hand, don't let Xiao Lin do all the work alone!"

Zhao Xue's shout came from the courtyard, and Qin Huairu and the others in the house immediately came to their senses and quickly walked towards the courtyard.

"Mom, I'm here!" Qin Huairu hurried forward and answered quickly, her heart pounding with anxiety, afraid that her mother or family might have done something wrong and offended Sun Jingyuan, thus betraying his kindness in taking her in. She immediately rolled up her sleeves and helped with the barbecue arrangements.

Sun Jingyuan sat to the side, watching everyone busy at work. He didn't say much, but simply handed over the seasonings and let everyone do their jobs. The courtyard gradually became lively, without the previous restraint, and had a more homely atmosphere.